Southern Railway Update: Maximum permissible speed in line between Chennai Central to Gudur increases from 110 kmph to 130 kmph

October 10, 2022 Rail News

Southern Railway has increased the maximum permissible speed from the existing 110 kmph to 130 kmph in the Up and Down lines between Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Chennai Central-Gudur (MAS-GDR) which has a length of 134 route kilometres and 268 track kilometres.

More details:

  • The fitness for running at maximum permissible speed 130 kmph was granted o­n 05-10-2022.This has been achieved by the Zone with systematic and planned approach for strengthening the track, traction and signalling system and various bottlenecks were removed by working o­n a mission mode.
  • Railway Board has issued guidelines for enhancing the maximum permissible speed of all High density network, Golden Quadrilateral and Golden Diagonal routes (GQ-GD) from 110 kmph to 130 kmph.
  • In Southern Railway, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Chennai Central – Gudur and PuratchiThalaivarDr MGR Chennai Central – Renigunta falls under the category of GQ-GD route.

High Speed Trial Run at 143 kmph:

  • Following the sanction for running at a maximum permissible speed of 130 kpmh in MAS-GDR section, Shri B.G.Mallya, General Manager, Southern Railway conducted a high-speed trial run at a top speed of 143 kmphand window trailing inspection of Chennai – Gudur section today (6.10.2022).
  • The General Manager was accompanied by  Shri Desh Ratan Gupta, Principal Chief Engineer, Shri Ganesh, Divisional Railway Manager, Chennai, and Senior officials o­nboard a special train formation.During the speed trial, the train covered the 134 Km stretch of Chennai – Gudur section in 84 minutes clocking top speed 143 Kmph.

Speed upgrade in Chennai-Gudur section with full compliance of mandatory requirements:

  • Following Railway Board’s guidelines to increase the sectional speed in all the ‘GQ-GD’ routes of Indian Railways to 130 Kmph, Chennai – Gudur becomes the first section in Southern Railway to get a speed upgrade of 130 Kmph.
  • Railway Board and Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluruhave stipulated certain requirements to be compiled for upgrading Chennai – Gudur section to the recommended speed standards.
  • A series of trial runs were conducted by Railways and RDSO for assessing the fitness of tracks, traction, signals and rolling stock to comply with all the requirements laid down, the section was authorized fit for running trains at 130 Kmph o­n 5thOCtober 2022.

Different type of works carried out in Chennai-Gudur section:

  • To equip Chennai – Gudur line for handling trains running at 130 Kmph, following works were carried out:
    • The standard of interlocking at all the stations are upgraded
    • The maintenance requirement for the track, signal and TRD assets and rolling stocks are augmented
    • The curves in these sections were attended to have adequate transition length for the proposed speed wherever feasible
    • Complete Track Renewal (CTR) to 60 kg rail and sleepers
    • Thick web switch in points and crossing
    • Improved Switch Expansion Joints
    • H beam sleepers in Girder bridges

Benefits for passengers:

  • Consequent to the speed upgrade in Chennai – Gudur section to 130 Kmph, o­nce the new time table for implementation of enhanced speed comes into force, the passengers bound for Andhra Pradesh destinations, New Delhi, Howrah and Mumbai will benefit from considerable reduction in journey time.
  • Following this, a similar speed upgrade is proposed for Chennai – Renigunta section, which connects the city to the pilgrimage centreTirupati.  It is also proposed to upgrade the speed o­n ‘B’ routes in sections, namely, Arakkonam – Jolarpet – Podanur- Shoranur, Thiruvananthapuram – Kayankulam – Alleppey – Ernakulam, Shoranur-Mangaluru, Chennai Egmore – Villupuram – Tiruchchirappalli – Dindigul section, by 2024-25.
  • Expressing his satisfaction about the speed trial, Shri B.G.Mallya, General Manager, Southern Railway said  that the public notification for operating trains at maximum permissible speed of 130 Kmphin Chennai – Gudur section, will be released shortly.  He also complimented the officials for the exemplary work done for enhancing the speed limit.

Source: Southern Railway -Press Release | Image Credit (representational): MoR